BRUSSELS – Dutch Member of the European Parliament Marit Maij has criticized the European Commission for excluding Curaçao and the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from a newly presented strategy for European islands and coastal regions.
According to Maij, the omission is a missed opportunity because the Caribbean islands face many of the same challenges identified by the European Commission in its strategy.
In a statement published on LinkedIn, Maij noted that the European Commission recognizes islands as being on the front line of climate change due to their isolated locations and unique economic and social vulnerabilities.
“A European strategy for islands and coastal regions. All islands? Unfortunately not,” Maij wrote. “The Overseas Countries and Territories, including Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, have been forgotten.”
The European Parliament member argued that the Caribbean islands deserve the same attention because they are equally affected by rising temperatures, extreme weather events, economic vulnerabilities and social challenges.
The criticism highlights the unique position of the Caribbean countries and territories within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. While they maintain ties with the European Union through their Overseas Countries and Territories status, they are not formally part of the EU and are often excluded from policies that apply to European regions.
Maij said the exclusion is particularly disappointing given the increasing need for investment and support to help island communities adapt to climate change and strengthen their economies.
The European Commission has not yet responded to the criticism or indicated whether the strategy could be expanded to include the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.